Natural hazards · Guilford

Guilford, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Guilford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Guilford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Guilford to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Guilford faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Guilford flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Guilford, from FEMA’s records.

17paid claims since 1979

$216Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 7 claims, $69K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $8K
Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $25K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Guilford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Chenango County.

Disasters that hit Guilford

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Guilford itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Guilford.

Brought FEMA money into GuilfordDeclared for Chenango County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$20K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$17K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

19 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $174K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $866K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

2003

Snow

$8K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$14K to the Town of Guilford for repairs

Chenango County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Guilford

Guilford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oxfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Guilfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Butternutsmostly inland floodingHigh

Norwichmostly inland floodingHigh

Unadillamostly inland floodingHigh

Bainbridgemostly inland floodingHigh

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Guilford covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Guilford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Guilford. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Guilford total about $3.7M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.